I have been researching some lightweight hard-sided travel trailers at the behest of my wife. Many moons ago we had a 27-foot travel trailer we towed around the Southwest USA behind Ford and Chevy 3/4 ton pickups.
I have no desire or budget to consider an f150 or the like.
Is my 2011 Ranger Supercab Sport with 4.0L and auto trans a reasonable option for towing some lightweight trailers. The book says it can handle up to 5K in weight (of course stopping it could be problematic).
Have any of you ever used your Rangers for hauling an RV. Based on the ratings, it appears our 2016 Explorer can handle about the same range.

 

With appropriate equipment(trailer brake controller and WD hitch) the ranger will do fine.

 

Buy a trailer by its gross weight rating though. Not its empty shipped weight. If the trailer weighs 4400# as shipped you'll be well over your 5K, loaded ready for camping.

 

Right now just searching and considering. As it stands the wife really doesn't like riding in the ranger with its harsh, rough ride. She prefers my plain jane 1969 F100 LWB. We wont' be using the explorer as its a lease and I don't want to spend money on the towing setup and experience the extra miles on the lease.
I am pretty sure the Ranger actually has a better tow range than my 69 with its 3 speed, 240 straight six.

 

I'm surprised the ranger has a rough ride. I would think it would be smoother than the F100.

 

The 69,thru 72 F100 LWB trucks were the smoothest ride I think of all years and models,,,I did not like the short wheel base near as much,,,, but the LWB were just so smooth,,, but thats just one mans opinion so feel free to disagree ..

 

I would find out what the 69 F100 is rated to tow. Long wheel base makes a huge difference in stability. Engine wise, the Ranger should be good for 5000 lbs but my short bed regular cab can be difficult when towing 3500 lbs above 60 mph. Your experience may vary.

 

If I recall correctly the f100 (which my truck was the cheapest truck offered by Ford in 69 with its 240/light duty trans/highest gear rear end/etc) is only rate for about 3,500 pounds. While I don't hesitate to drive it practically anywhere, the added stress of towing might be problematic. Additionally, I would need to make some improvements to the cooling system to support any towing such as radiator shroud, different water pump or bigger spacer between fan and radiator. Unburdened, the truck will show signs of heating up some just running the hilly back roads at highway speeds for extended periods.
As to the Ranger's ride compared to the F100. Night and day difference. I compare the Ranger to an old ****** jeep I road around a lot while in high school. Stiff is a pleasant word for it. I am ok with the ride. Shorter and squattier, kind of like a 68 Bronco. My wife growls when we take it and I take it about anytime I drive.
But the longer wheel base of the F100 would be much appreciated in ride and towing. I remember the difference in towing a 27 foot travel trailer when I graduated from a 1999 half-ton suburban to a 3/4 ton, crew cab, long box F250. The f100 also has rear air shocks for some reason. One of the two previous owners must have done some towing (clutch was worn out when I got it two yeas ago with 32K miles on it).

 

I wouldn't think twice about towing a travel trailer with my '97 4.0L. I've towed heavy on at least 4 occasions--without supplemental braking--and I'm really impressed with the Ranger's capabilities. Consider adding an aux transmission cooler if you don't already have one. Also, consider tightening the bands on your transmission before you start. I experienced smoother shifting and better torque converter behavior when I did.

This setup was about 4,000 pounds total. While stopping distance certainly increased, I didn't feel unsafe...even when traveling down out of the Rockies. I was able to maintain 70-72 mph and still use overdrive without excessive shifting. What a great little truck.

 

That's a heck of a load.
Hard to imagine that setup at highway speeds and without some braking assist.

 

The 240 is just about the same displacement as the 4.0, FWIW. I'd bet the 240 has more torque.
Many people towed with manual transmissions for many years. My grandfather used to distribute Kozy Koach trailers during summers off from teaching Manual Arts in the '30's. I remember him traveling later, and he drove a '49 Merc, a '53 Merc, and a '57 Merc. Wore them out, putting the miles on. The only automatic was the '57, the others being 3 speed with overdrive. There are two things to remember towing, don't be in a hurry, be deliberate, and always leave extra room for braking. At least that's the message I got.
I did tow a fiberglass, hard sided pop-up trailer with my 2.3 5-speed. I installed an electric brake controller, relay controlled trailer light connection, and that's about it. Just took my time, and watched further ahead than I normally would for 'issues'.
I have no idea what it weighed, but it had stove, refrigerator, water tank, and of course, particle board cabinetry. Might as well have used lead.
tom

 

I remember when a manual indicated you had more towing capacity. I used the gearing to help brake. I was surprised how much the manual tranny reduced the towing capacity of this generation of Ranger with the 4.0 V6.
As to my 240, it and its bigger cousin the 300 are known for low-end torque. I would not hesitate to tow with the F100, except for the cooling improvements I would need to make - which might happen anyway. Already made them to my project truck.

 

I wanted to mention, but forgot, that you likely need a new radiator, or to have yours cleaned professionally. From lore, if an engine overheats in traffic, it's likely the pump, but if it overheats at highway speeds, it's likely the radiator. Of course you could have 40 years of sludge in the water jacket, or a corroded impeller that doesn't impel much any more, or a balky thermostat.
If there were problems, you might consider a non-contact thermometer or an infrared filter for an electronic camera to get the temps of the various spots on the radiator. Doing that might indicate there were spots or areas where the coolant was not flowing any more without doing the cleaning. I have not seen a radiator shop in years. Do they still exist? If you replace the stat, get a Stant or OEM - Motorcraft and avoid the 'unknown country of origin' brands. If you have A/C, check the fan clutch for function.
Hmm, just opened this can of worms. Want some?
tom

 

I was dubious at first, too. I'm pretty risk intolerant with towing. I checked all the weight restrictions and was well within limits as specified by Ford. It was rock solid at highway speed and braking left me confident...confident enough, in fact, that I don't even have any close call incidents stored in my memory banks from the last 17 years.

Add supplemental braking and I think you'd have a worry-free setup.